


Tea and Thee

by junko



Series: Chasing Demons [41]
Category: Bleach
Genre: M/M, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-09
Updated: 2013-02-09
Packaged: 2017-11-28 17:49:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/677151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/junko/pseuds/junko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Renji is baffled as Byakuya and Yachiru play at "tea ceremony," but he's called away to be briefed on his mission to the Human World--only to have that meeting interrupted by the arrival of Kenpachi.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tea and Thee

**Author's Note:**

> Short and (hopefully) sweet!
> 
> Also I should probably warn for spoilers of the current Thousand-Year Blood War/Vandenreich arc. The spoilerage is minor, but it is there.

Renji decided that while he was a fairly awesome faux tea hut builder, he was never going to be very good at playing pretend. So, he hung back and watched Byakuya and Yachiru in fascination as he made adjustments to the tent-like structure he’d fashioned from blankets and low-hanging branches of the cedar tree.

Byakuya held Yachiru’s hand while she spun around to show off several layers of kimono. She was swimming in silk--most of the dress dragged on the ground and her tiny arms were lost in the folds. The fabrics were various shades of blue, with the topmost being almost an electric azure that shimmered in the early morning sun. Into the silk had been woven the pattern of white flowers that seemed to float in a diagonal spray across the front and back. Somehow the house steward had found a wide pink obi to perfectly match Yachiru’s hair. Renji could hardly believe Byakuya could stand to see such expensive silk dragged through the garden dirt, especially since it must have belonged to a female relative of his at some point. But if it bothered him at all, Byakuya didn’t show it.

In fact, Byakuya seemed to take very seriously the opportunity to teach Yachiru what might really be expected of her should she ever attend an actual tea ceremony. There were introductions and lots of bowing. Renji was already feeling strangely out of his depth when he noticed Eishirō beckoning him from the library door. Renji tried not to seem grateful for the excuse to leave when he trotted over to see what was needed. 

Lieutenant Sasakibe was at the front door. 

Breaking from play, Byakuya said, “There’s no need to go back to the Division for your meeting, Renji. You may use my father’s study, if you wish. Eishirō, see that the lieutenants have tea and breakfast.”

“Yes, my lord.”

With that, Renji followed Eishirō to a room two doors down from the library. Byakuya’s father’s study was a large, airy room. Its corner jutted out into the garden and both sliding doors were open to a view of the courtyard garden where Byakuya and Yachiru played. They were mostly obscured by the cedar tree, but Eishirō deftly positioned the screens to protect Byakuya’s privacy.

“If you will wait here, sir,” Eishirō said as he left . “I’ll fetch Lieutenant Sasakibe.”

“Thanks,” Renji nodded as Eishirō bowed his way out the door. 

The room smelled not unpleasantly of old books and fresh ink. Byakuya’s father’s office had a small, low desk and several cushions scattered on the floor. There were bookshelves along the wall, filled with what looked to Renji’s cursory inspection like a collection of philosophy and poetry books. There were brushes and inks of all kinds. In fact, the room felt far more like an artist’s studio than a military commander’s office. 

Dozens of gorgeous hand-painted calligraphy of koans hung on the walls. Renji was still parsing out the most elaborate one when Eishirō announced Sasakibe’s arrival.

Sasakibe stuck his head in warily, looking very much like a silver fox-- a narrow face, intense amber gaze and steel gray hair flaring out from the top of his head almost like ears. Seeing Renji, he nodded and stepped inside the room. “Lieutenant,” he said in greeting.

Even though Renji knew that Byakuya had given him the use of his father’s study so that he could sit behind desk for an air of authority, Renji indicated that they should find a spot in the sunlight near the open door. “The captain tells me you have a mission for me,” Renji said without preamble.

“Yes, to support the Substitute Soul Reaper in the Human World. We have intelligence that Aizen has already sent two agents of his new army into the field.” Sasakibe handed over packets of information. Renji started to look through them, but it was clear that Sasakibe wanted to talk about other things. “You come highly recommended for the job. We need captain-level people to take on these new hybrids.”

Captain-level. Right.

Renji set down the papers in his lap, even though he’d just come to an interesting part about something called an ‘Arrancar.’ “You trying to say something there, Sasakibe?”

“Now that you have bankai are you planning on standing for a captaincy?”

“No. Are you?”

Sasakibe blinked back his surprise, but forged ahead as though Renji hadn’t mentioned anything. “It is felt you’d do well in the Fifth.”

Aizen’s division? No fucking way. “I feel differently.”

“There is a need, Abarai,” Sasakibe pressed, “A desperate need.”

Not so desperate that you’d apply. Renji caught Sasakibe’s gaze and held it firm. “If the head captain wants to appoint me a captaincy, I suppose he’s within his rights. But he’ll have to do it over my protests. I’ve only been a lieutenant for a little over two months and in that time I managed to be publically insubordinate and, if you look at things the wrong way, treasonous. You really want me leading my own division right now? How about we wait until I come back from this mission with Aizen’s bloody severed head in my hands? Then I’ll take his fucking Division.”

“So… this is about timing?”

Renji shrugged and went back to looking through the papers. “Who knows how all this is going to shake out? If there’s a Soul Society to come back to in the end, I’ll consider it.”

#

It was impossible to ignore the thundering sensation of Kenpachi Zaraki reiatsu at the estate’s front gate, but Byakuya tried none-the-less. 

Yachiru had quickly grown bored playing tea-party. She was now high in the branches of the cedar tree, where she cheerfully tossed pinecones down onto Byakuya’s head while he sipped his tea. He acted upset as he let another bounce of his shoulder, delighting in the sound of her giggles.

Though, the first one had been an honest surprise. 

She’d concealed her intent with kidō—high level, at that. She’d quite stealthily gotten under his defenses and completely blindsided him. It’d been a shock, and his unguarded, stunned expression had caused her to squeal with joy. He supposed he should have known better, but sometimes it was very difficult for Byakuya to remember such a tiny thing was a trained… lieutenant.

“Ken-chan is here!” she noted hopping down out of the tree skillfully, though she stumbled a bit due to the heavy kimono she wore. 

Having caught her by her shoulder before she fell, Byakuya now knelt down to begin untying the complicated knot of the dress. “Yes, he is,” Byakuya said. “Let’s get you out of these things so that you’ll be ready to go.”

“Aw,” she pouted, holding up her fabric draped hands to admire at the silk in the sunlight. “But it’s so pretty! And shiny!”

It was. In fact, the coloring of his mother’s kimono suited Yachiru very well. He would have to ask Eishirō to set it aside for her and see if Rukia would be willing to part with what was technically her inheritance. “Perhaps, when you are a grown lady, you may keep it.”

A shadow fell over them, and there was a rude grunt. “Huh, never thought I’d see you on your knees in the dirt, Kuchiki.”

Breathlessly, and several beats too late, Eishirō scrambled in and bowed deeply and said, “My lord! The Kenpachi has arrived.”

#

The howling rage of Kenpachi’s zanpakutō stuttered all thought from Renji’s brain. “Uh,” he blinked at Sasakibe and rose automatically to his feet. “Let’s leave things here. I should probably make sure those two don’t kill each other.”

Sasakibe nodded, but added, “Good luck with that.”

#

Byakuya refused to be hurried, even though it meant remaining on his knees in front of this barbarian. He got the obi unwound as Yachiru chatted happily to ‘Ken-chan’ about all the things they’d done this morning. In a way, Byakuya was grateful for his position and unbound hair, as they hid the heat of his cheeks as she described their various games to the now chortling Zaraki.

“Oi, did you at least feed her good?” Zaraki demanded, as Yachiru was finally free of the silks to leap onto his shoulders. “Not just cakes and fruit?”

Byakuya folded up the silk and draped it over one arm. He stood slowly, deliberately. “The Kuchiki kitchen staff is the finest in the Soul Society.”

Zaraki tilted his head, causing those infuriating bells to jingle, and gave Byakuya a frighteningly sly smile. “Yeah, but that ain’t what I asked, is it?”

Zaraki’s astuteness was as annoying as it was surprising. Byakuya flicked an imaginary speck off the shoulder of his kimono and said simply, “It’s a host’s prerogative to spoil his guest.”

“We had cake,” Yachiru confirmed. “And jam!”

Zaraki snorted a laugh. He rudely pointed a finger at Byakuya. “You’re such a fucking softy, Byakuya Kuchiki.”

From anyone else, Byakuya could simply ignore such taunts. But, there was something about this man that always pushed every button, set all his teeth on edge. Byakuya could feel his reiatsu flare. At his side, his fists clenched. It took everything he had not to smack Zaraki’s hand aside and put to test the brute’s hakuda skills.

#

Renji felt the sudden spike in spiritual pressure and the rumble of Kenpachi’s unconscious answering reiatsu wave. Pulling aside the screen, Renji stepped into the garden from the study and called out, “Yo, Taicho!”

Both heads turned in Renji’s direction. 

As fearsome as it was to have the attention of two of the strongest captains in the Gotei Thirteen hone in on him, they were, at least, no longer glaring at each other. Byakuya, in fact, turned away entirely. If Byakuya were a cat, his back would be rippling with irritation.

Thus, Renji instantly understood his job. He smiled and nodded at Kenpachi and said, “Can I walk you out, Taicho?”

Kenpachi grunted. “Probably should. This place is a fucking maze.”

“Oooh, Kenny, I know the way!”


End file.
